Urban Outfitters - Buyer, Womenswear Brands in City of London

About Us

Urban Outfitters started out as a single boutique in 1970s Philadelphia with creativity and uniqueness at its core. 50 years on, and over 60 stores across Europe later, we’ve become a destination for emerging design, unexpected styling, One-Of-A-Kind vintage and homeware that makes you want to hit the share button. We speak to a social community of over 10 million forward-thinking individuals, bringing together a nostalgia for the past with an enthusiasm to shape the future. The UO community are culturally aware, they shape the music scene, they live a digitally native life and they wear style trends before anyone else. At our core, we empower our customers and staff to express themselves, unapologetically, living life in a way that’s truly authentic to them.

We are always excited to bring new talent into the room, especially if you share our values:

• Progressive — we move with the mood
• Creative — we champion limitless minds
• Inclusive — we open our platforms to all communities
• Responsible — we work to reduce our impact on the environment
• Compassionate — we care for each other beyond the 9 to 5

Sound like you, why not join us?

Role Summary

As a Buyer for the Womenswear Branded department at Urban Outfitters, you’ll play a key role in shaping the brand’s collection and keeping it fresh, on-trend, and aligned with what our customers love. You’ll be responsible for choosing the right products, managing inventory, and making sure we’re offering a mix of products that sell well and reflect the Urban Outfitters aesthetic. You'll use your market knowledge, data insights, and vendor relationships to stay ahead of the curve and keep the collection exciting. This role is open to Buyers at all levels including Established and Senior.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Create a market leading branded edit, delivered from concept to customer both online and across retail doors.
• Create balanced initiatives encompassing trend, relevance to the urban customer, quality, value, and key volume as well as exclusive projects, emerging initiatives, and global partnerships.
• Collaborate across functions to ensure complete delivery of concept to customer.
• Liaise with PR, Marketing, Web, Visual Merchandising and Retail Operations teams to ensure that brand launches are launched timely, sales are maximized, and the department reaches its full potential.
• Build and maintain excellent brand relationships, identify demand in brands and trends and develop new relationships to support.
• In depth knowledge of the women’s branded and own buy market and strong point of view on current and upcoming trends.
• Strong product development skills, ability to balance multiple short and long lead projects within the critical path.
• Strong ability to trade and deliver in-season, managing inventory as well as longer lead strategic initiatives.
• Negotiate the best possible terms with suppliers i.e. margin, minimum guarantees, contracts, marketing budgets and exclusivity whilst reducing markdown.
• Present and drive strategy, ideas and concepts to senior management, in line with business goals.
• Provide leadership to employees and to peers and foster an open environment of continual training and development.
• Manage KPI’s and Open to Buy (OTB) plan, knowing when to change the OTB based on business needs.
• Lead and deliver departmental sustainability goals.
• Represent the brand with integrity and authority, being a true brand ambassador for the business.

What You’ll Need

• Proven experience working in branded buying and product development.
• A real understanding of volume partnerships as well as market-leading ideas and emerging initiatives.
• Entrepreneurial in spirit, with a strong understanding of the Urban Outfitters brand and customer.
• Excellent brand knowledge and grasp of trend, with strong ability to identify fresh talent within new brands from around the world.
• Multi product buying and product development experience and a strong market awareness exhibited through knowledge of relevant brands and reference points.
• The ability to identify emerging trends early on and interpret them in a commercial yet exciting way.
• Clear communicator with the ability to present and support a point of view.
• A team player with the ability to provide leadership, training and motivation to employees and peers.

The Perks

• Work-life balance: Flexible start and finish times
• Bring your dog to work
• Wellbeing: Employees Assistance program to support with mental, physical and financial health
• Fully equipped free gym and on-site wellness room in Brick Lane and 50% discount of external gym memberships
• Private Medical Insurance
• Employee Discount: Up to 40% off at all URBN Brands
• Community: One paid day to either volunteer or fundraise for a charity of your choice
• Travel: Cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan
• Continued Development: We offer structured support within the business alongside continued learning and development

Equal Opportunity Statement

URBN is an Equal Opportunities Employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We provide equal employment opportunities regardless of age, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy, marital status, religion, race, or disability. We base all our employment decisions on merit, job requirements and business needs.